Conventional needlepoint canvas is an open weave of canvas threads or strands with the warp strands extending in spaced parallel relation to each other and the weft or filler strands extending in spaced parallel relation to each other in perpendicular relation to the warp strands. Open squares are defined by the intersecting warp and weft strands.
As is well known to practitioners of the art, every needlepoint stitch is formed by drawing a needle, threaded with a desirably colored.. yarn, across the top of an intersection of warp and weft strands.
The stitch is made by passing a needle and thread upwardly through an open square bordering a selected intersection, then diagonally across the top of the selected intersection, and then downwardly through the adjoining open square.
It is standard practice to provide patterns for designs to be stitched on needlepoint canvas, and it is the purpose of every needlepoint pattern to designate the locations in the canvas required to be stitched to reproduce its design. The prior art patterns were made by selecting and coloring squares on standard square graphs to indicate the required location of stitches in the needlepoint canvas.
It is generally considered that the intersecting lines on the standard square graph,, correspond to the intersecting warp and weft strands in the needlepoint canvas, and that the open squares defined by intersecting lines on the graph correspond to the open squares defined by the intersecting warp and weft strands in the canvas.
The marking of a square surrounded by intersecting graph lines on a conventional needlepoint pattern therefore suggests to the user that the designated stitch goes in the corresponding square in the needlepoint canvas. Persons familiar with needlepoint know, of course, that the needlepoint stitch designated by a marked square in a pattern on a prior art square graph does not just go in the designated square in the canvas, but diagonally across, the top of one of the intersections of warp and weft strands bordering the designated square, as explained above. The user of conventional needlepoint patterns on square graph paper needs to determine which of the four intersections of warp and weft strands bordering a designated square is intended to be stitched.
The prior art practice of designating a needlepoint stitch on canvas by marking a square on standard graph paper is incapable of designating the exact intersection of warp and weft strands to be stitched. This failure of the prior art causes confusion and frustration.